Trolley-retriever.



P. N. VAN EPP. TROLLEY RETRIEVER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8. I914,

Patented July 24, 1-917.

3 SHEETSSHEET I m W w B0 7* A TTOR/l/EV P. N. VAN EPP.

TROLLEY RETRIEVER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 8. 1914.

Patented July 24, 1917'.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lA/l/E/VTOI? ZUAM E By M ATTORNEY v WITNESSES:

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Patented July 24, 1-917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

A TTOlM/EV UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

PAUL N. VAN EPP, 0F MEDINA, OHIO.

TROLLEY-RETRIEVEB.

Application filed September 8, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that PAUL N. VAN Err, a citizen of the United States, residing at Medina, in the county of Medina and State of Ohio, has invented certain new and use ful Improvements in TrolleyJietrievers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to a trolley retriever, all substantially as shown and described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the retriever 0n the axis thereof and Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Figs. 3 and at and 4? are views of details as hereinafter described.

Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a perspective view of the base member of the casing. Fig. 6 is an open front elevation of the main or power spring casing and the spring therein, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the retriever spring controlling plate or disk, shown in sectional lines, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail of a portion of the said control plate and a catch or dog adapted to engage the same, the view being partly on line 8--8, 1. Figs. 9 and 10 are end and side elevations respectively of the sleeve or tube for winding up the retriever spring; Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the drum with the auxiliary or trolley rope spring therein and Fig. 12 is an edge elevation of said drum. Fig. 13 is a rear side elevation of said drum and the governing mechanism thereon, and. Fig. 14: is a perspective view of the tubular spring controlling member for the auxiliary or trolley spring. Fig. 15 is a face view of the control plate and dog, and Fig. 10 detail of the dog.

The invention as thus shown comprises sundry improvements over or upon my former inventions in this line as will be pointed out in the detailed description and claims, and one of these improvements is expressed in the comparatively few, simple and separate parts that make up the device as a whole and which are so constructed as to be assembled and used without screws or belts or like means to hold the parts together in working relations, thus enabling one who is not especially skilled in mechanics nor intimately acquainted with this device to take the same apart and ire-assemble it again without mistake.

To these ends, the invention comprises,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July at, isi'i.

Serial No. 860,626.

first, a suitable base or base member B, which is substantially of ring shape and has a flange 6 about the same adapted to seat and confine the shell or casing 0 there in and within which casing the retriever spring S is mounted. This particular spring may also be regarded as the main or power sprlng, since it does the actual retrieving and is adapted to come into action the instant the trolley leaves the wire and to draw the same down out of the path of possible injury and before a span wire or other danger is reached in the travel. Indeed, the action of the precautionary parts is so immediate and effective that the trolley cannot fly more than six or seven inches above the wire before it is arrested and drawn down and held down by the said spring, and as will be further seen in the detailed description to follow.

The said base and easing are separably connected by what are properly a pair of bayonet joints, plus a pivoted catch or dog (I, the said base having opposite recesses 2 in its flange 5 with covered retreats at their sides in which the corresponding lugs 4 on said casing are engaged by a limited rotation in said recesses and the said parts are locked together by said dog dropping in behind one of said lugs through hole 5 in the flange b at the base of the corresponding recess 2, Fig. 5. This construction fixes the said parts B and C together in a practically rigid manner and yet enables them to be easily taken apart for the removal of said casing when occasion requires and without disturbing or releasing the base B.

The retriever spring S, so called, is coiled about a short sleeve or tube 9 which serves as a medium for winding up the spring as will presently be seen. A. lug m on the inner end of the spring engages a tooth or shoulder on said sleeve, Fig. 6, while the outer end thereof is fastened at a tothe casing C. The said sleeve or tube 9 has an angular or five sided socket portion adapted to receive a correspondingly shaped hub or projection 7 on the axis of the control plate or disk (Z, thus providing means for transmitting power from the spring and also for winding up the said spring after retrieving as hereinafter described. The said hub or extension 7 is bored to sleeve over or upon shaft or screw rod 19 and said hub penetrates into about half the depth of said sleeve 9 and up against a boss 8 on the said casing C and in which the screw shaft 19 is threaded and locked by nut N outside. The said screw or shaft constitutes the main support for all the working parts directly or indirectly, it being seen that the said plate cl and its hub are sleeved to turn on said shaft as also is the drum D for the trolley rope, and also the arbor a which anchors the trolley spring. a

It will be noticed that drum or reel D has a hub h fitting comfortably upon said shaft 19 within the inner portionof said arbor, and that said hub not only is as deep as the drum axially on that side but also has an inwardly projecting portion on the opposite side equal to the space intervening between the said drum and the control plate cl, thus giving the drum an exceptionally 1on and stead bearin u')0n theshaft.

c b l tached to the drum by means of a loop hook or equivalent device 1%, and said loop is shown in this instance as made of suitably heavy wire or the like and engaged at its ends through the opposite flanges of the drum D and adapted to be turned into full open position as in Fig.2 when the rope 9' is paid out, or to be reversed and lie sub-- stantially flat upon the drum when the said rope is wound up in use. When the rope is unwound, and the loop llturned to the left as shown in Figs. 2 and 11, the rightangled end of said loop strikes the lug 1.6 on the inside of the front or sing member G which serves as a stop against the further rotation of the drum or the un inding of the spring S. Otherwise or when the rope is wound the said loop is reversed and lies closely upon the drum under the rope and the projection 15 is turned out of engaging relations with the lug 16, and the drum is free to rotate in either direction. By these means the operator can also look and hold the spring S in a coiledsate when for any reason the rope r is removed or replaced, or the like.

The trolley spring S lies within the drum or reel D against radial ribs 17 on the inside of the rear wall thereof, and has an al'lixed lug 18 on its inner end adapted to engage in a shouldered recess 20 in the manually rotatable tubular arbor a, Fig. 2, while the outer end of said spring has an anchor 22 adapted to engage on any one of the several anchor teeth 23 on'the 1nside periphery of the drum D and substanthis connection, it is to be not-ed that the spring S really is made in two parts, the main portionbeing comparatively light and the outer portion S heavier, say, two coils and said anchor 22 is on the outer end of the outerheavier coil. It follows when the spring S is wound to the closest possible tension and otherwise might break, as frequently occurs in case of excessive winding,

the outer coil of this spring will simply snap loose from the tooth or catch 23 which it then engages and automatically fly into engagement with the next succeeding hook, and so on around, thus saving the spring under excessive stress and actually preventing possible breakage thereof.

To wind up the said spring, I employ the said arbor a which sleeves freelyover the end of screw shaft 19, head and all and has an internal shoulder and a spring 25 between the same and the head of said shaft which normally holds said arbor in working position against the front casing C. The said casing has opposite notches 26 about its middle hole QTadapted to be occupied, by lugs 28 on the inside of the head 29 of said arbor and to hold said arbor when it has been rotated to any given engaging position and is locked in saidholes.

The said head is constructed to be 'ri )GCl manually to turn the arbor and wind the spring S. The desired tension can thus begiven to said spring without other means than the hand to grip and turn said arbor and this can'be done on the spot and it is not necessary to take the device to a shop or to have special tools for the purpose as to Figs. 1, Band 13, and the means for governing the. action. of the retrieving spring S, it will benoticed that there are two governing levers or arms d0 pivoted, respectively, on pins 39 on the back of drum D at opposite sides of the axis thereof, and connected by toggle links 42 equal distances from theirpivot, so that if one arm or lever 40 is actuated both are actuated alike. These arms are held normally in retired position, full lines Fig. 13, against stop 43 by retracting spring 46, but have weighted or enlarged outer extremities 41 sufliciently heavy to overcome said springs and throw said arms out against the stop or projection 48, as seen in dotted lines,when

the drum D is rotated by a quick jerk, as occurs when the trolley jumps the wire. The springs 46 are purposely placed comparatively near to the pivots of said arms and the axis of the drum to cause the least possible stretching of the springs and to preserve them from breakage.

Now, let it be assumed that the retriever as a whole is on a car and the power or retriever spring S wound up and the trolley wheel on the wire. In this position of the parts, the rope drum D is free to turn in either direction under tension, either to pay out the rope or wind it as the varying alti-.

tudes of the trolley wire require, the weaker portion of the spring inside of the rope drum serving to turn the drum in a winding direction and therefore always taking up all the slack and normally exerting about a five pound tension on the trolley rope. Assuming also that the trolley pole is pressed upward against the trolley wire under the action of its own spring with a force varying from 20 to 50 pounds as usual, it is plain that when the wheel leaves the wire it produces a sudden upward movement or violent jerk on the trolley rope. The rope in turn transmits this sudden movement to the rope drum, causing it to rotate violently in an unwinding direction.

The governing arms 40 are on the back of the rope drum as described. As long as the said drum turns slowly in either direc tion the said arms are held in a neutral or normal position by their springs 46 and they do not interfere with the rotation of the drum, but in the event of the drum being rotated violently in unwinding direction, as occurs when the trolley wheel leaves the wire, the said governor arms are thrown suddenly outward by inertia and centrifugal force. This movement causes the arms to strike against the lugs or projections 50 on the front of the spring controlling disk or plate cl and securely locks the drum to the said control plate or disk and stops the rotation of the drum in an unwinding direction. It also stops the sudden upward movement of the trolley pole. All this is accomplished so quickly that the pole can scarcely move upward more than six inches before it is arrested and drawn down.

lVhen the trolley pole leaves the wire in this manner, the governing arms 40 are thrown outward as described and-the control plate (Z is given a violent impulse in a rope unwinding direction and against the tension of the power spring. This movement causes the locking dog 55 to be thrown suddenly upward out of locking engagement on said plate and the power spring being liberated, overcomes the upward pull of the trolley pole on the rope, and as the rope drum is securely locked to the control plate and the control plate is now free to turn in a rope winding direction, it is plain that the power spring will cause the said drum to turn in a rope winding direction and therefore lower the trolley pole. This movement continues until the upward pull of the trolley pole is equalized by the downward pull by the power spring, and as a result the trolley pole is lowered about five feet and held there until taken care of by the operator.

In this connection, however, the rope drum is still securely locked to the control plate by the arms 40, so that when the operator pulls upward on the trolley rope to replace the pole on the trolley he unavoidably winds up the power spring by the same action. I

This upward pull on the rope must continue until the power spring is fully wound and then the locking dog which otherwise bears against the spring S which it partially overlaps, falls by gravity into place on the control plate and engages on the catch or stop therein, as hereinafter fully described, and prevents further rotation of said plate. This also prevents further upward pull of the trolley rope and the said rope is then let back slowly in a rope winding direction under the tension of the trolley spring S and the locking dog is in place to prevent the rotation of the control plate in a rope winding direction. Then, in case the trolley leaves the wire again the foregoing operation is simply repeated.

The tension of the weak portion of the spring S in the'rope drum tends to turn the drum in a winding direction and releases the governor arms so that they may be withdrawn from engagements with the control plate on lugs 50 and return to their normal position. It is therefore evident that the act of placing the pole back on the wire first resets or rewinds the power spring, locks the control plate against rotation, and frees the rope drum to operate in either direction as the varying altitudes of the trolley wire require.

It is to be noticed that the power spring is recessed into the back casing in such a manner that the spring extends outward from said recess about inch. When the retrieving spring S is unwound or partly unwound, the outer coil of the said spring rests against the annular wall of the recess in the back casing, and it is obvious that when the same spring is wound'up or set for retrieving, the outer coil thereof will be drawn inward toward the spring :arbor, which pulls it away from the said annular wall.

The'locking dog 55 is pivoted on alug 56 on the upper-central part of back casing adjacent to said recess and rests uponxeither the flange 57 or the-bridge 62 of the control plate (Z opposite the outer coil of the power spring. It is therefore plain that when the power spring .is unwound, or, partly unwound, thelocking dog will be lifted by'the spring and held in ail-upward or disengaged :position where it cannot come in contact with the projections otherwiseprovidedfor it at 60 and 61in the back flange 57 of the control plate nor drop into the recess 0 over thebridge 62.

It is also obvious that when the retrieving springisentirely woundup, or set for retrieving, the locking dog falls 'by gravity and engages the stops providedfor it in-the said flange 57 Now, let it'be assumed that the retriever spring is unwound. Asudden upward jerk on the trolleyrope causes the governor arms to be thrown outward against projections 50, thereby connecting the rope drumand the control plate. A continual upward pull on the trolley rope causes the power spring to be wound upon its arbor through 1 the revolving of the rope drum and control plate. As the power spring is wound the final turn necessary causes the outer coil to be pulled away from the annular wall of the recess inthe back casing as before explained.

As thepower spring pulls away from the wall the locking dog resting upon it drops downward until it rests or rides upon the annular flange 57 on the back of thecontrol :plate, and as the control plate isturned it brings the opening o into'a position where the tooth 63 of the locking dog drops into it. This action brings the face f of the tooth 63 into engagement with the shoulderor stop 60 011 said flange 57, and prevents a further 'Inovcment of the control plate in a spring power spring, and as the rope is let back still farther'the rope drum is disconnected from the control plcte, as before explained.

The retriever spring is now wound up and-the controlplate locked by the locking dog engaging catch 61, leaving the rope drum free toturn 1n either direction. W hen thellocking dog is in the'last above position,

Fig. 15, it will be noted that the shoulder 66' on the'bottom of the dog rests adjacent to but does notcontact with the stop 60, and said shoulder is slightly inclined so as to glance off at the stop 61 and throw the dog =back against the casing when the trolley wheeljumps'the wire. Thus, if there is a sudden. upward movement of the trolley rope, as caused by-the'trolley wheel leaving the wire, the governor arms on the rope drum are thrown outward into contact with pro-.

jections 50 on the front of the control plate.

The shock or momentum of this action'turns the control plate a short distance in a spring winding direction against the tension of the power spring and brings the bottom inclined shoulder 66 into contact with the shoulder 60. This causes the locking dog 55 to be thrown violently upward out of depression 0. Then the power spring overcomes the upward pull caused by the trolley pole, and as thellocking dogis back out of depression '0 thecontrol plate turns in a spring unwinding direction, causing the trolley rope to be wound upon the rope drum'and the trolley pole lowered as before explained.

After the power spring has been allowed to unwind one turn, its outer coil again rests against theannular wall of recess in the back casing and thereby causes the locking dog to be held upward at its shoulder cl out of engagement with the opening 0.

Therelative rotary movement of the control plate d in respect to dog 55 to bring about looking relations therebetween is adjustable that is, the plate cl may be set with its depression 0 at greater or less radial distances from thedog by establishing different set positions ofthe angular boss 7 within'the sleeve 9. In-this way different tension effects may be obtained at the retriever spring, and the retrieving action may be made slower orfaster as occasion and conditions at the trolley may demand.

It follows from the foregoing that the present retriever is entirely automatic, and

that the operator really has nothing to handle but the trolley rope. Bythis means he first resets the retriever springand then in practically the same action gets slack in his rope to place the trolley wheel on the over-head wire. Hence, if the trolley wheel is on the wire the retriever spring necessarily is first wound up and ready for action. This makes sure of having the retriever mechanism properly setas a condition precedent to restoring the trolley and which makes itimpossible for an inexperienced or excited conductor to make a mistake and leave the retriever spring unwound.

The trolley rope a" is usually provided with a ferrule or hook r to detachbaly connect with loop 14, but if the hook is damaged or the ropebreaks, a knot can be tied at the end of the rope and a slip connection made with the loop which comprises parallel legs in close relation at its free or outer end and diverging or outwardly spreading leg extensions in pivotal engagement with the flanges of the drum D. The knot in the rope is easily inserted between the spreading leg extremities of the loop and is locked in place when slipped into the narrowed end of the loop.

What I claim is:

1. In a trolley retriever, a trolley rope supporting drum and a loop pivoted in the sides thereof to engage the rope therewith, said loop adapted to turn on its pivot to open and folded positions respectively and having an inside projection at one end, in combination with the casing having a lug on its inside adapted to be engaged by said projection and hold said drum against rotation.

2. A trolley retriever having a trolley rope drum, an actuating spring thereon and means to wind said spring, a device to attach said rope removably pivoted in said drum and adapted to be turned to open and folded positions respectively, a casing and a fixed projection thereon and the said rope engaging device constructed to engage said projection and prevent the unwinding of said spring when the trolley rope is removed.

3. In a trolley retriever mechanism, a drum for the trolley rope having a pair of connected governor armspivotally mounted on the rear thereof, a control plate having projections on its sides adapted to act as stops for said arms and the said plate having an. annular portion on its rear provided with shoulders in its periphery, a dog adapted to engage said shoulders, a retrlever spring and a sleeve carrying the same having an angular socket and an axial projection on said control plate constructed to lock in said socket and rotate the said sleeve.

4. A trolley retriever comprising a drum for the trolley rope and governor arms pivotally mounted on the rear thereof and stops for said arms on said drum and spring to hold said arms in normal position, in com bination with a retriever spring and a sleeve carrying the same having an angular socket in one end, a control plate havmg an angular projection engaged in said socket and a circular flange about its axis having shoulders, and a depressed bridge portion between said shoulders, a dog located nest without said retrieving spring and practically over the same and adapted to engage 011 said shoulders.

5. A trolley retriever mechanism as described, comprising a base having an annular flange on its inside, a casing consisting of two members provided with projections at their opposed edges bolted together and the inner of said members having an annular bottom separably seated within said flange in said base and provided with an internally threaded inward projection, a screw shaft removably engaged in said threaded projection and a drum and a control plate having hubs sleeved on said shaft, an arbor exposed on said shaft, a spring to hold the arbor in separable interlocking relation with the outer casing member, a retrieving spring connected with the inner casing member and the hub of said control plate, and a trolley spring connecting said drum with said arbor.

6. The retriever substantially as described having a casing consisting of two members separably connected at their edges, a base having an annular flange within which said casing is removably attached, a shaft axially extended through said casing and removably screwed into the inner member thereof having a head at its outer end, a drum mounted on said shaft within said casing and a coiled spring in said drum to rotate the same, an arbor sleeved over said shaft in detachable engagement with the inner coil of said spring and engaged in interlocking relation with said casing, a retrieving spring rotatably mounted about said shaft within the inner of said casing members and automatic connecting mechanism between said retrieving spring and said drum.

7 A trolley retriever having a base with an annular flange extending inward, an in ner casing member rotatably interlocked with said flange, an outer casing member and cross connections at intervals rigidly fixing said members together, the said mem bers being otherwise spaced apart at their opposed edges, a shaft extending centrally through said members and screwed into the bottom of the said outer member, a retrieving spring and a rotatable support therefor within said inner member, a drum rotatably mounted on said shaft, a spring within said drum and an arbor connected with one end of said spring sleeved on said shaft, said arbor having projections to interlock with the outer member of said casing, a spring to maintain said arbor in locked position and means operatively connecting said drum and said retrieving spring.

8. A trolley retriever having a drum to carry the trolley rope and an actuating spring therein, a central shaft and a tubular arbor thereon having said spring engaged therewith and provided with a head having a stop lug on its inside, a casing member provided with notches adapted to be en gaged by said lug to prevent rotation of said arbor, the said arbor having a head adapted to be gripped by hand and slidably mounted within said casing member and a spring in said arbor adapted to hold the arbor in locked position on said casing member.

9. A trolley retriever comprisinga drum to carry a trolley rope and a spring therein to wind the same, in combination with a central shaft and an arbor thereon adapted to slide axially on said shaft and having the inner end of said spring engaged therewith, a spring on said shaft adapted to press the arbor inward, a casing member through whichv the arbor projects having notches in its edge and the said arbor having lugs adapted to be engagedin said notches and to be withdrawn therefrom, the said arbor also provided with means at its exposed end adapted to be manually gripped to operate the same.

' 10. A trolley retriever having a rotatabl drum to carry the trolley rope and a pair of governing arms pivotally mounted and operatively connected on the rear of said drum, in combination with a control plate having projections on one side adapted to be engaged by said arms and provided with an annular flange on the opposite side havmg a depression and stops at the ends of the depression, adog having a tooth and a beveled hook-shaped extremity adapted to engage said stops, and a retriever spring operatively engaged by the said plate and said dog having a shoulder extending over said spring and adapted to be engaged thereby when uncoilin 11. In a trolley retriever mechanism as described, a coiled retriever spring and a separate rotatable control plate in winding relation therewith having an annular flange at its side terminating in opposed stops having an inclined shoulder and a reversely beveled hook-shaped extremity to engage said stops and provided with a projection adapted to be engaged by the outer coil of said spring. I s a a 12. A trolley retriever mechanism having a retriever spring, a separate rotatable plate in winding and holding relations therewith having an annular flange on one side about the center thereof provided with a depres sion and stops and a pivoted dog adapted to engage said stops having a shoulder extendthereby in its unwinding movement.

13. A trolley retriever as described having a retriever spring, a plate at the side there- :t'orsaidspring and adapted to rotate the same to wind the spring and provided with an annular flange at one side, a pivotally supported dog in engaging relations with said flange and said spring, a rotatabledrum for the trolley rope and spring controlled governing arms adapted to interlock said drum with said plate to rotate the same.

14. In a trolley retriever, a casing and a retriever spring confined therein, a ropewinding drum, a control plate and means on the side of said drum adapted to be thrown into rotating engagement with said plate, a

mg over said spring and to be engaged oi having a hub engaged with the support and operatively engaged at its inner end with said plate, and a locking dog for said plate adapted to be disengaged said spring. a

In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL N. VAN EPP.

Witnesses R. B. Mosnn, M. 'SCHWAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, "by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 9., i i 

